Big Birds Last Stand

These birds evolved around 85 million years ago on the southern Super-continent Gondwanaland. They belonged to a group of birds known as Ratites; members of this family include Ostriches, Emus and the extinct Elephant Bird of Madagascar.

Once New Zealand separated from Gondwanaland and became isolated it allowed the Moa to exist in a relatively predator-free environment, filled with avian fauna, the only mammals present were three species of small bats. Recently discovered fossil evidence also indicates a species of both Python and Crocodile which may have also included Moa on the menu.

This isolation allowed these birds to reach a wide variety of sizes, from small turkey-sized species, such as Euryapteryx curtus, to the gigantic Dinoris giganteus which stood 4 metres and weighed in at 250 kilograms. All these Moa species were herbivorous and browsers. They ranged in habitat from the alpine regions down to the coastal areas.

The main mysteries surrounding this bird are when did it become extinct, or in fact if it is extinct at all.

Some have suggested the Moa was already on the decline before human colonization began; however, evidence from Maori butchering and cooking sites show there must have been an abundance of these birds, judging by the wasteful practices involved in the butchering process. Meat from the thighs was mainly used and the rest of the carcass was left to rot.

This is rather surprising as the Maori of old were very conservation conscious to ensure resources were not overtaxed. This was achieved by oral tradition and legend; seasons were set out for hunting different species which ensured a recovery period.

Even the name Moa is somewhat of an enigma as it does not appear among the oral traditional legends. The name used to refer to this bird was Tarepo.

It is generally accepted that the large species were extinct by the early 1800s, and if not extinct by then they had become exceedingly rare. This may have been fact however if is likely that some of the smaller species which had been overlooked as a food source because of their bigger relatives may have lingered longer.

The mid to late 1800s produced many reports of large birds seen in isolated areas of bush; this was a period of exploration as areas were opened up for settlement. Many of the reports centred on the South Island as gold prospectors and surveyors pushed into the isolated interior.

One of the most interesting reports of this exploration period involves a confrontation between a sheep dog and a Moa. The Moa turned on the dog after being pursued. Once the dog backed off, The Moa was seen to bob its head up and down in the direction of the dog in what appeared to be a possible threat posture.

Reports in 1931 and 1960 record large birds in the South Island, and in 1989 a pair of birds were sighted by some trampers [bushwalkers], once again in the South Island. All reports involve the large species of Moa.

In 1990 there were several sightings of large Birds, in the Arthur’s Pass area, and tracks were found on two occasions. [BB]

The most recent sighting however caught world media attention. On January 20 1993 three companions, Paddy Freaney, Sam Waby and Rochelle Rafferty were tramping in the Craigieburn Range. Mr. Waby stopped at a stream for a drink. Paddy Freaney’s attention was drawn to a large bird nearby watching them. Freaney drew the attention of his companions to the bird, which then panicked and fled. Freaney gave chase with camera in hand and at an estimated 35 metres got the now famous photo of the bird; he also discovered and photographed, after loosing sight of it, wet bird footprints on a rock.

These photographs were shown to a Department of Conservation Officer who expressed the opinion that the bird looked very much like Megapteryx didinus, a sub-alpine species of moa know to have inhabited the South Island.

Computer analysis was carried out on the photo by Canterbury University. Specialists at the University expressed the view that the photo was of a genuine large bird and not some prop stage to look like one. Deer and other four-footed animals were also ruled out.

To add to the weight of evidence in support of the photo being genuine, the following year, 1994, a doctor was tramping in the same area the photo was taken. He came across browsing damage that was consistent with what is known of Moa feeding habits.

In light of the evidence the Department of Conservation made no move to follow up on what surely would have been the find of the century.

Is the Moa extinct?

Perhaps in some of New Zealand’s isolated areas - and there are still a few - the species may still hold a tenuous grasp on existence. The sad fact is if it was discovered how easy it would be to finish what was started in those Maori middens hundreds of years ago.

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